


The Stockings Were Hung By The Chimney With Care

by ultrahotpink



Category: Mercy Street (TV)
Genre: Christmas, F/M, Oranges, Stockings
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-12-27
Updated: 2017-12-27
Packaged: 2019-02-22 12:46:57
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 816
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13167219
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ultrahotpink/pseuds/ultrahotpink
Summary: While looking for his misplaced book, Jed stumbles on Mary filling stockings.





	The Stockings Were Hung By The Chimney With Care

**Author's Note:**

  * For [middlemarch](https://archiveofourown.org/users/middlemarch/gifts).



> It's been 84 years since I last posted a fic, I know, and it's a wee bit after Christmas, but I stumbled on this in my WIP folder and realized that I hadn't posted it last year because a drive malfunctioned and I lost some changes on the original finished version. This was originally written for the Mercy Street advent calendar last year. I hope you enjoy!

Jed moved down the back hall swiftly. He couldn’t for the life of him remember where he had left his book. He’d searched his room, the surgery, and his office, and now was on his way to the staff common area which at this time of night was usually vacant. He saw a light flickering through the crack of the door and pushed it open to see Mary placing an orange in one of the stockings by the fireplace. Of course, she was still down here. 

“My, St. Nicholas, how different you look than what I would have imagined.” Much more becoming, he thought.

A corner of her mouth upturned in amusement before resuming its former solemn state. “I’m sorry to disappoint.”

He moved towards her. “No disappointment, only epiphany. Santa Claus being a woman makes sense. For what man could organize things so well?”

Her eyes met his with what he could swear was a twinkle. “You raise an excellent point.”

“Well, then I’ll raise another. Should you not be asleep in your bed in case the real Santa should appear?”

He took the moment to look at her. He knew that she had been up before him, and although often seemed tireless, he suspected that she needed rest more than she might have realized.

She turned back to the fireplace, continuing to fill the stockings. “I will go to bed after I ensure that the staff will not be waking up to nothing tomorrow. Why are you not asleep, since you’re so eager for presents yourself?”

“I’ve mislaid my book and have been searching for it for the better part of an hour.” 

She glanced behind him. “It’s on the table beside your chair.”

He turned to see that it was just where she said. He’d been teasing her about being Santa 

Claus, but he hadn’t been joking about her omniscient like organizational power.

“What an infuriating relief to find ones mislaid object.” He picked it up and looked at the door before sinking into the chair.

Mary sat down on the couch beside him. "What did Santa bring you in your stocking as a child?"

"Nothing. We didn't have stockings. Mother thought they were vulgar. 'Why on earth would you want to reach into something where a foot should go?' she'd say. We were given gifts though, and went to balls at neighboring plantations, hunted wild game. It wasn’t all bad." Jed and Mary both laughed. "What about you?"

"We had stockings. When I was younger I used to get an orange and a toy or piece of clothing. When I grew older, it was an orange and a book or bolt of fabric placed beside. But I loved getting that orange. I would wait and smell it. Savor it. And then when my brothers and sisters went to bed I would creep down to the big bay window in the parlor and sit in there and slowly peel it open. I kept that tradition, even when I married." A sad smile fell across her face.

“Well, it seems as though Santa has brought you an orange again, so you can keep your Christmas ritual.”

“What about you? I suppose there isn’t balls to attend or game to hunt.”

“There is some sport in teasing Hale, although not much. And it’s harder to be petty given the season.” Jed moved to the stocking that had been embroidered with his name, reaching inside and taking out his orange. 

“Perhaps I’ll take a page out of your book and make a new tradition.” He held the orange up to his nose, inhaling deeply. It was such a simple pleasure and yet satisfying. He noticed Mary’s eyes on him.

Mary stood up abruptly. “Well. I’ve only a few more stockings and then I should take myself to bed.”

He hadn’t meant to cause offense by absconding with her tradition. He’s only meant to bridge the slight gap that as yet remained between them. What could he do to make things right?

“Would you share my orange with me? I would be grateful for some company.” He peeled it as he moved to the sofa. She sat down again and he sat beside her. He divided the orange in half and handed it to her.

Her eyes met his, half conflicted, half grateful. “Jed-“

“Nothing would please me more at Christmas than to savor an orange with you.”

She smiled slightly, the light in her eyes shining once again. “It would be wrong to deny your Christmas wish.”

Her fingers lightly brushed his as she accepted her half. She carefully parted a slice from the others and took a bite, closing her eyes.

And in that moment of bliss he saw cross her face, he realized that this might be that happiest Christmas he’d ever spent. For there was certainly no one he’d rather spend it with.

**Author's Note:**

> Feel free to let me know what you think! I stumbled on one or two other mostly finished fics, so let me know if you're interested in more! Happy Holidays!

**Works inspired by this one:**

  * [While Visions of Sugarplums Danced in their Heads](https://archiveofourown.org/works/13224876) by [sagiow](https://archiveofourown.org/users/sagiow/pseuds/sagiow)




End file.
